The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa was a success for football fans around the globe thanks to the excitement and passion seen in the competition. People have high expectations for the next World Cup in Brazil and, based on the performance of several rising stars in South Africa, they have every right to do so.
Qualification for EURO 2012 is about to begin, and it might be too early to do an extensive analysis to determine which football teams can win the Word Cup in 2014, but based on the class shown by up and coming football stars, such as Thomas Mueller, Mesut Ozil, Andre Ayew, and Giovanni Dos Santos, we can predict which teams have the potential to be contenders in Brazil.
Predictions – Based on Young Stars, Which Football Teams Will Go Far in Brazil 2014?
Whether you are planning to do some World Cup betting, competing in a football fantasy league or are just an avid fan, you might want to start keeping an eye on the following stars and the football teams they represent. These were amongst the youngest in South Africa and produced some of the best football; if their stars reach their full potential in four years time, any of these teams might win the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Germany National Football Team
The German players’ average age at the 2010 World Cup was 25.0, making them the third-youngest team at the finals. Apart from the fact that this team is always a contender for lifting the trophy, Germany was the top scoring squad at South Africa with 16 goals. If all goes well for them, Germany's stars will reach their full potential in Brazil 2014.
- Thomas Mueller (Forward, Age: 20, Club: Bayern Munich, Germany) Mueller won both the 2010 FIFA World Cup Hyundai Best Young Player and the Adidas Golden Shoe awards. He finished joint top scorer with 5 goals and, aside from his goal scoring instincts, he shows more potential than current strikers, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski, thanks to his superb vision and passing skills.
- Mesut Ozil (Midfielder, Age: 21, Club: Real Madrid, Spain) Fans may not see Michael Ballack at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but Ozil has established himself as an ideal replacement. The young star lacks Ballack’s strength but makes up for it with superb skill and speed.
Aside from this two rising stars, the core of the German team is made up of young players with proven experience, such as Philip Lahm and Bastian Shweinsteiger. This makes the German team a top contender to lift the World Cup in 2014.
Ghana National Football Team
The great African hope during South Africa 2010, Ghana came up short of reaching the semi-finals but generated exciting and attacking football. Considering they were the tournament’s youngest side with a 24.1 average, many expect them to become the first African team to reach the FIFA World Cup semi-finals.
- Andre Ayew (Midfielder, Age: 20, Club: O. Marseille, France) Ayew showed exceptional passing skills at South Africa, converting 85% of his passes and providing an assist during Ghana’s victory over the US. He was one of the three nominees for the Best Young Player Award.
- Kevin Prince Boateng (Forward, Age: 23, Club: Portsmouth, England) Boateng showed skill, strenght and speed at the 2010 World Cup. He also scored Ghana’s first goal over the US. If he is able to overcome some indiscipline problems, he will shine in four years time.
Ghana also has a couple of very promising defenders in Samuel Inkoom and Jonathan Mensah. Except for Stephen Appiah, and Hans Sarpei, the bulk of Ghana’s players will be at their prime during the 2014 World Cup.
Spain National Football Team
Spain deservedly won their first-ever World Cup and was arguably the most dominating team. Although this side did not boast as many young stars as Germany or Ghana, several promising football players are waiting for their turn to shine in Brazil 2014.
- Cesc Fabregas: (Midfield, Age: 23, Club: Arsenal, England) Fabregas was mainly used as a substitute in South Africa, but he will be one of the main candidates to marshal the Spanish midfield in 2014.
- Gerard Pique: (Defender, Age: 23, Club: Barcelona, Spain) Spain’s defense was the tightest in South Africa and Pique played a major part in frustrating opposing strikers. He is also shining at club level with Barcelona and keeps improving with time.
Another promising youngster, Bojan Kirkic, was left out of the squad. Spain could also give some playing time to Daniel Pacheco, a 19 year old who recently finished as leading scorer at the European U-19 finals. Since many stars including David Villa, Xavi, and Carles Puyol will probably play but be past their prime in 2014, Spain’s success depends on developing these young stars.
Mexico National Football Team
The Mexican team played entertaining football but ultimately disappointed fans by failing to reach the quarter-finals. Head coach Javier Aguirre, caused much controversy by not giving enough playing time to several young stars.
- Javier Hernandez (Forward, Age: 22, Club: Manchester United, England) Hernandez scored goals against France and Argentina and also recorded the fastest speed by any player at the World Cup, reaching 32.15 km/hr. If he is able to get enough playing time at Manchester United, he will be a force to be reckoned with at Brazil 2014.
- Giovanni Dos Santo s (Midfielder, Age: 21, Club: Tottenham, England) Gio’s passing skills and dynamic play earned him the right to be one of the three finalists for the Best Young Player Award during the World Cup.
There are several other young players who have made their mark in the Mexican team, like Andres Guardado and Efrain Juarez. Some veterans, such as Rafael Marquez and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, will surely miss the 2014 World Cup; however, Mexico has enough youthful talent to replace them. The question is, will this new generation of football players be able to adopt a winning mentality to go far in Brazil 2014?
Reference
FIFA World Cup Statistics
Andres Hernandez - Andres Hernandez-Rodriguez is a chemical engineer, born in Mexico City in 1979. He worked for a chemical products company as a Research ...
